Doctor Blogs

Balloon Pulmonary Valvotomy or BPV is presently the treatment of choice for isolated pulmonary valve stenosis and has virtually replaced surgery as a treatment mode for the said condition. The procedure is safe and effective with very few complications and good long-term results. It aims to fix the pulmonary valve and uses a long, thin tube called a catheter which has an inflatable balloon at its tip. The operator puts this catheter through a blood vessel in the groin and threads it to the pulmonary valve and the balloon is then inflated.  Balloon valvotomy is used to increase the opening of a narrowed (stenotic) valve. It is used for Select patients who have mitral valve stenosis with symptoms. Older patients who have aortic valve stenosis, but are not able to undergo surgery. The whole procedure takes about 30-60 minutes and spares the patient from having to undergo open heart surgery. Patients often stay in the hospital for at least one night post-procedure. Balloon mitral val...

Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of chemical drug therapy designed to destroy rapidly growing cells in the body. It is usually used to treat cancer because cancer cells grow and divide faster than other cells. A doctor who specialises in cancer treatment is known as an oncologist. They will work with you to develop your treatment plan. Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy. The use of combination therapy depends on the stage and type of cancer you have, your overall health, previous cancer treatments you have had, the location of cancer cells, your personal processing preferences. It is considered a systemic treatment, meaning that it affects the whole body. Chemotherapy has been shown to effectively attack cancer cells, but it can cause serious side effects that can seriously affect quality of life. You should weigh these side effects against the risk of not being treated when deciding i...

The inferior vena cava is the widest vein in your body. It carries blood from your lower body to your heart and lungs. In an inferior vena cava filter placement procedure, interventional radiologists use image guidance to place a filter in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the large vein in the abdomen that returns blood from the lower half of the body to the heart. Blood clots that develop in the veins of the leg or pelvis, a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), occasionally break up and large pieces of the clot can travel to the lungs. An IVC filter is a small metal device that traps large clot fragments and prevents them from travelling through the vena cava vein to the heart and lungs, where they could cause severe complications such as pain, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or even death. Until recently, IVC filters were available only as permanently implanted devices. Newer filters, called optionally retrievable filters, may be left in place permanently or have the ...

A lump or growth of abnormal cells in your brain is known as a brain tumour. There are numerous varieties of brain tumours. Both benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) brain tumours can occur malignant. Primary brain tumours are those that start in the brain and secondary or metastatic brain tumours are those that start in other regions of the body and spread to the brain. A brain tumour's rate of growth can vary significantly. Your nervous system's ability to function depends on the growth pace and location of a brain tumour. The sort of brain tumour you have, as well as its size and location, all affect your treatment options. SYMPTOMS  A headache with changing the pattern Headaches which gradually get worse and occur more frequently Vomiting or nausea without cause Decision-making challenges Vision issues including double vision, blurry vision, or reduced peripheral vision Gradual loss of feeling or motion in a leg or arm Speech impediments Changes in behaviour or...

Angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to your legs. It is also called peripheral angiography . Peripheral angiography is a test that uses X-rays and dye to help doctors locate narrowed or blocked areas in one or more of the arteries that supply blood to your legs. In case of a narrowed artery, it can be treated with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting.  To treat blockage in your leg, angioplasty can be performed in the following: The aorta is the main artery that comes from your heart Artery in your hips and pelvis Artery in your thigh Artery behind your knee Artery in your lower leg How Is a Peripheral Angiogram Performed? A thin flexible tube (catheter) is inserted through an artery in your groin (femoral artery), wrist (radial artery), or arm (brachial artery). To make the arteries visible on the x-ray, dye is injected through the tube into the target arteries. An X-ray camera films the arteries as they pump blood. These x-ray ...

Brachytherapy  is a medical procedure used in the treatment of various types of cancer. It involves placing radioactive sources directly into or very close to the tumor, delivering a highly localized dose of radiation. This accuracy makes it an effective treatment option for many types of cancer, including prostate, cervical, breast and skin cancers, as well as some head and neck cancers. There are two basic types of brachytherapy: High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR): In HDR brachytherapy, a temporary radioactive source is inserted into or near the tumor for a short period of time, often minutes to hours. The source is usually delivered through thin catheters or applicators that are carefully placed by medical professionals. Because the exposure time is short, patients can undergo several treatment sessions over a period of days or weeks. Low-dose rate brachytherapy (LDR): LDR brachytherapy involves the placement of radioactive seeds or sources that emit continuous low-dose radiatio...

  A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart. Without blood, tissue loses oxygen and dies . Symptoms include Tightness or pain in the chest, neck, back, or arms, Fatigue, Light-headedness, Abnormal heartbeat and anxiety. Treatment: Aspirin. Aspirin reduces blood clotting. … Clot busters (thrombolytics or fibrinolytics). These drugs help break up any blood clots that are blocking blood flow to the heart. … Other blood-thinning medications. … Nitroglycerin. … Morphine. … Beta-blockers. … ACE inhibitors. … Statins Risk Factors: 1. If you have  diabetes , you’re 2–4 times bound to bite the dust from coronary illness contrasted with grown-ups who don’t have diabetes. The issue is when your glucose isn’t controlled enough to keep it inside a solid reach. High glucose harms your veins, which expands the opportunity for fats to develop in your courses and cause atherosclerosis. Patients with diabetes are likewise bound to have other ongoing well-bei...

  Prostate cancer patients face a significant problem with their bone health. Hormonal therapy can either cause or exacerbate bone conditions like osteoporosis and osteoopenia. The risk of fractures should be assessed for prostate cancer patients receiving ADT for non-metastatic disease. The most widely recognized method for finding an individual's gamble is with a double energy X-beam absorptiometry (DEXA) sweep to quantify the strength of the bones. Treatment should be given to those who are found to be at a high risk for a fracture. Bone-changing medications that can be utilized in this present circumstance incorporate denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva), zoledronic corrosive (Reclast, Zometa), alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel), ibandronate (Boniva), and pamidronate (Aredia). Talk to your doctor about when to take these medications and which is best for you based on your situation because they can have side effects. In patients who do not currently have evidence of bone metasta...